Modular building construction

ABSTRACT

Building walls are constructed by erecting conventional studs and then applying specially constructed pre-fabricated wall modules over the studs. The modules are constructed of any of a variety of materials and are provided with spaced apart passages therethrough to receive the studs. A preferred module is rectangular in shape and may be disposed horizontally or vertically, the smaller dimension being equal to the distance between two studs and each long edge being provided with a vertical groove for sliding engagement with a stud. Alternatively the smaller dimension may be, for example, one-third the distance between two studs, in which case three wall sections may be disposed between the studs. Each module may be unitary or constructed as two longitudinal halves which are secured together after assembly to the studs.

United States Patent 1 Henry et al.

[ Nov. 26, 1974 [54] MODULAR BUILDING CONSTRUCTION [75] Inventors: DavidA. Henry, Bradenton, Fla.; Myron J. Larimer, Sturgis, Mich.

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No.146,415, May 24,

1971, Pat. NO. 3,742,665.

[52] U.S. C1 52/569, 52/233, 52/481,

52/586, 52/606 [51] Int. Cl. E04c 1/08 [58] Field of Search 52/233, 281,284, 300,

2,362,162 11/1944 Sheldon 52/481 X 3,410,044 ll/l968 Moog 52/300 X3,561,181 2/1971 Bassett 52/316 X 3,603,060 9/1971 Kay 52/593 X PrimaryExaminer-Price C. Faw, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or FirmCushman, Darby &Cushman [5 7 ABSTRACT Building walls are constructed by erecting conventional studs and then applying specially constructed pre-fabricated wallmodules over the studs. The modules are constructed of any of a varietyof materials and are provided with spaced apart passages therethrough toreceive the studs. A preferred module is rectangular in shape and may bedisposed horizontally or vertically, the smaller dimension being equalto the distance between two studs and each long edge being provided witha vertical groove for sliding engagement with a stud. Alternatively thesmaller dimension may be, for example, one-third the distance betweentwo studs, in which case three wall sections may be disposed between thestuds, Each module may be unitary or constructed as two longitudinalhalves which are secured together after assembly to the studs.

8 Claims, 14 Drawing 1F igures PATENTL-U mvzsmm sum 3 or 4 PATENTEL HOV2 61974 7 SEE! t Of 4 MODULAR BUILDING CONSTRUCTION This is acontinuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 146,415 filed May 24, 1971now US. Pat. No. 3,742,665.

This invention relates to modular prefabricated wall components and to amethod of constructing building walls utilizing such components.

The primary object of the invention is to simplify the construction ofthe walls of buildings, especially residental buildings, by providingspecial prefabricated wall modules in the form of panels, sections ormodules which are adapted to be employed in conjunction withconventional construction features. More specifically, the wall modulesare adapted to cooperate with conventionally-erected wall studding toenable rapid and simplified finishing of exterior walls and interiorpartition walls in any of a variety of interior and exte rior textures.

One important feature of the special wall modules and the constructiontechnique is the provision of stud passages through the modules whichpermit the modules to be fitted to pre-erected studs, therebysimultaneously forming both exposed surfaces of a finished wall. Thetechnique has special utility in the construction of simulated log wallsor other special-appearance walls, because the components can beprefabricated from a wide variety of materials. The technique has thefurther advantage that no special skill is required to install thecomponents. In one embodiment each module is of unitary construction,and the assembly technique includes the step of lowering the module overthe preerected studs. In another embodiment each wall module consists oftwo longitudinally extending halves each of which has vertical channelsfor mating with the preerected studs. The two half-modules are appliedto opposite sides of the same set of studs and are then securedtogether, preferably by means of interlocking contours provided on theinner side of both halfmodules.

Another important feature of the invention is that a given wall modulemay be constructed so as to be installed with its longer dimensioneither horizontally or vertically.

The invention will be further understood from the following detaileddescription of several illustrative embodiments taken with the drawingsin which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one type of wall module illustrating oneof the construction techniques;

FIG. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view of a finished wallconstructed of a plurality of the modules of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a corner formed by two intersecting walls ofthe type shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 3A is a plan view of a comer-and-wall module formed as an integralpiece;

FIG. 3B is a plan view of a corner formed by two mitred wall modules;

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of a modified wall module similarto the component of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a further type of wall module;

FIG. 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view of a finished wallconstructed of a plurality of the modules of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of another module similar to thecomponent of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view of a module adapted for vertical orhorizontal installation;

FIG. 9 is a transverse vertical sectional view of a finished wallconstructed of a plurality of the modules of FIG. 8 disposedhorizontally;

FIG. 10is a sectional view of a wall constructed of the modules of FIG.8 disposed vertically;

FIG. 11 is an elevational view of a wall constructed of verticallydisposed modules of both the FIG. 5 and FIG. 8 types; and

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken on the line 12-12 of FIG. 11.

FIG. 1 illustrates one of two construction techniques contemplated bythe present invention. In the lower part of FIG. 1 there is shown aconventional residential wall frame which includes a typical wood sillplate 12 secured to the upper horizontal surface of a foundation 14 asby bolts 16. Conventional wall studs 18 are attached along the uppersurface of the sill plate 12 at uniformly spaced intervals.

A special wall module, or modular wall component, is illustrated at 10.In this embodiment the module 10 is constructed of two longitudinallyextending halves 11a, 11b which are adapted to be fitted together sideby-side during assembly of a wall. The assembled mod-' ules 10 havevertical passages 20 therethrough at locations corresponding to thespacing between the studs 18, this spacing conventionally being two feetbetween centers. The passages 20 are formed by channels in the engagingsurfaces of the module halves 11a and 11b, and this two-piececonstruction therefore permits assembly of a wall by moving the twohalves Ila and 11b in generally horizontal directions from oppositesides of the studs and then securing the halves 11a and llh together soas to enclose the studs. The cross sections of the passages 20 arepreferably only slightly larger than the cross sections of the studs 18so as to form a reasonablytight fit and provide rigidity. FIG. 1illustrates one assembled module 10 resting on the sill 12 andfoundation 14 and one half 11a of a second module being lowered intoposition on top of the first module after having first been fitted tothe studs. The other half (not shown) will then be moved into engagementwith the first half 11a along a horizontal path. Alternatively, twomodule halves can be fitted together at a convenient height for theworkmen and the assembled module can then be lowered to its finalposition. Additional modules are added in similar fashion, and the roofis constructed after the walls of the building have been completed.

The module halves Ila and 111) are preferably secured together byproviding the inner face of each half with a contour which willinterlock with a complementary contour on the inner face of the otherhalf. One form of interlocking contour is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2wherein it is seen that each inner face includes a tongue 19 and agroove 21 which are joined by an inclined planar surface 23. The tongues19 on the halfmodules 11a project outwardly and upwardly, with respectto the plane of the wall, and the tongues 19 on the half-modules 11bproject inwardly and downwardly. The two piece construction and thecontours of the engaging faces can be manufactured by manufacturing eachmodule-half as a separate piece or by manufacturing the entire module asan integral structure and subsequently cutting it into two halves by,for example, a band saw.-

The longitudinal dimension of a module is at least twice the shortdimension, and generally it will be much greater than this, perhaps to30 times as great.

Each end of each wall module 10 is provided with a channel-shaped recess22 having a depth about equal to one-half the thickness of a stud 18.The recesses 22 of two end-to-end wall modules 10 surround a single studand are therefore equivalent to one of the passages 20. The modules 10may be made in convenient lengths such as 4 feet, 6 feet, 8 feet and soforth.

The principal feature of the wall modules 10 is the presence of the studpassages 20, but it is also important that the horizontal and verticalsurfaces of the modules be adapted to cooperate with adjacent wallcomponents or other structural elements and to present the desiredexternal appearance. The particular wall module 10 illustrated in FIG. 1is a simulated log having slightly convex front and rear surfacesresembling the bark ofa tree trunk. The height and thickness of the logmay be about 8 inches. The upper and lower surfaces are contoured to fitwith adjacent wall components in a manner to assist in aligning thecomponents and to form a weather resistant joint. In the illustratedconfig uration the upper surface of the log 10 is defined by arelatively wide longitudinal rib 32 having upwardly and inwardlyinclined side walls 34; and the lower surface is defined by alongitudinal channel 36 which is complementary to the rib 32. In FIG. 2it will be seen that the uppermost log is somewhat modified in that itsupper surface is defined by a channel 38 adapted to partially receive aconventional horizontal cap 40 which is secured to the upper ends of twoor more studs 18. The roof structure may then be secured to the cap 40.

FIG. 3 illustrates one form of corner construction. As shown, the endstuds 18 of two walls remain partially exposed after assembling thewalls by the abovedescribed stacking of wall modules one on top of eachother. A vertical corner element 42 having, in this illustration, anouter convex surface similar in appearance to the bark ofa tree is thensecured to the exposed surfaces of the end studs in any convenientmanner. The outer contours and surface texture may be varied tocomplement the contours and surface texture of the particular module.

FIG. 3A illustrates in plan view a corner construction formed by modules10 which are L-shaped. In the illustrated embodiment the modules areprovided with vertical passages 25 in addition to the stud passages 20.The passages 25 may be used for carrying electrical cables or waterpipes and also serve to reduce the amount of material required formaking the module. As shown one of the passages 25 is located at thejunction of the two legs of the module and surrounds a verticalstructural member 27, such as a 4 X 4 timber. In this embodiment themodule is illustrated as being of onepiece integral construction,although it may be of twopiece construction as illustrated in FIGS. 1and 2 FIG. 3B is an exploded view in plan of another form of cornerconstruction. In this construction two'modules having mitred ends 29 areabutted against the vertical structural corner member 27. The mitredends 29 can be formed by cutting a module along a line diagonally acrossone of the passages, as illustrated at 31 or 33. Each resulting piececan then be used at a corner, although it will be appreciated that thepieces formed by a single out can not be abutted at the same corner.

In assembling the modules of FIGS. 3A and 38 each module is set in placeby lifting it to a position above the upper ends of the studs 18,aligning the passages 20 with the studs 18 and lowering the module overthe studs 18 into engagement with the sill 12 or equivalent structure orthe previously laid module.

It will be appreciated that the wall modules can be constructed in avariety of ways from a variety of materials. Each module of the typeillustrated up to this point is molded as an integral structure from asuitable lightweight, weather-resistant plastic, such as polyurethane.The plastic material may be foamed or unfoamed and may contain distinctrelatively large voids to conserve material. Internal reinforcingstructure may also be included. The modules may also be constructed ofwood, concrete, sheet metal or other materials.

FIG. 4 illustrates a different form of wall module 10 which isstructurally similar to the previously described components in that itis formed by a molding technique. The module of FIG. 4, for example, maybe molded in the form of two halves 11a and 11b which are subsequentlysecured together, as by gang nails 35, either before or after beingassembled around a set of studs. The end channels 22 may include avertical groove 26 for carrying an electrical cable.

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 illustrate wall modules 10a which have been made up ofseparate elements constructed of wood but which are otherwise similar tothe previously described molded modules. Each of these modules 10aconsists essentially of two parallel coextensive face boards 50 and aplurality of upper and lower internal stringers 52,54 which togetherform an elongated hollow box-like structure. The stringers 52,54 arehorizontally spaced apart so as to define the stud passages 20.

The upper stringers 52 project above the face boards 50 and the lowerstringers 54 are recessed so that the modules key together when stackedon each other, as seen in FIG. 6.

In the FIG. 5 construction one face board 50 may have applied thereto alayer or coating 56 of aggregate in a suitable bonding medium to serveas an exterior wall surface. The other face board 50 may be finishedwith paint or a clear protective coating to serve as an interior wallsurface. In the FIG. 7 construction each face board 50 has securedthereto a thin panel of loglike material 58.

FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 illustrate wall modules 10b which are generallysimilar to those of FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 in that they are made up ofseparate face sheets 50, upper stringers 59 and lower stringers 61. Bothstringers 59 and 61 are recessed so that the upper and lower edges ofeach module are channel shaped. As seen in FIG. 9, these channels maycooperate with a conventional stringer 60 which can be secured betweenthe studs after each module is placed in position with its longerdimension horizontal. The face sheets 50 in the FIG. 8 construction arewood siding. Alternatively, both face sheets may be plywood to whichshingles are attached, or one face sheet may be siding and the othershingles.

FIG. 10 illustrates a wall in which the FIG. 8 modules 10b are disposedwith their long dimensions extending vertically. The smaller dimensionof each module 10b is equal to the distance (conventionally, 2 feet)between two studs 18, with the result that the channel 62 along eachlong edge engages a stud 18 so that each module is held in position bytwo studs 18. Each module b is installed by sliding it downwardlybetween the two preerected studs. The passages (FIG. 8) in the moduleare now horizontal, and stringers 64 may be inserted therethrough as themodule is lowered into place, if desired, in order to increase therigidity of the assembly.-

FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate a wall formed of vertically disposed moduleseach of which has a width, for example 8 inches, which is less than thedistance between studs 18. In the illustrated embodiment three verticalmodules are disposed between each two studs, and it will be seen thattwo of the modules, indicated at 10a, are of the FIG. 5 constructionwhile the third module, indicated at 10b, is of the FIG. 8 constructionwith respect to the disposition of the stringers. Thus, one of therecesses in the long edge of the 10b module receives a stud 18 while theother recess receives a stringer 52 from one of the 10a modules. Thepassages 20, now horizontal, receive stringers 64 which are insertedbefore the modules 10a and 10b are slid downwardly between the studs.The channels at the ends of the modules receive either a sill plate 12or a cap 40.

It will be understood that the assembly techniques il' lustrated inFIGS. 9-l2 are applicable to molded modules of either the integral orsplit construction previously described.

The above description is illustrative of the principles of theinvention, and the details are not intended to limit the scope of theinvention except as they appear in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

I. An elongated wall module for use in constructing a Wall of a buildingcomprising two longitudinal halfmodules each forming a longitudinal halfof the wall module; each half-module having a first face engageable witha corresponding first face of the other half module; each half-modulebeingconstructed of molded plastic material and having a plurality ofspaced apart channels in its respective first face extendingtransversely to the longitudinal dimension of the module from a secondface to a third face, the channels in one of the half-modulescooperating with the channels in the other half-module to form parallelpassages for receiving structural members ofa wall frame; the secondface of each half-module having a longitudinally extending ribprojecting therefrom and the third face of each half-module having alongitudinally extending groove therein.

2. A wall module as in claim I wherein said first faces of saidhalf-modules are contoured to provide projections and recesses whichinterlock when said halfmodules are disposed in adjacent coextensiverelationship.

3..A wall module as in claim 1 wherein the channels in said one face ofeach half-module extend transversely through the respective rib whichprojects from said second face. F

4. A wall module as in claim 3 wherein each halfmodule has two end faceseach provided with a groove extending parallel to the channels in saidfirst face, the end face grooves in one of the half-modules cooperatingwith the end face grooves in the other half-module to form end facechannels.

5. A wall module as in claim 4 wherein said first faces of saidhalf-modules are contoured to provide projections and recesses whichinterlock when said halfmodules are disposed in adjacent coextensiverelationship.

6. An elongated rectangular wall module for use in constructing a wallofa building, said module comprising two spaced apart coextensiveparallel face sheets; stringer members disposed between and secured tosaid face sheets, said stringer members being disposed in spaced apartend-to-end relationship along each longitudinal edge of the module so asto provide between the ends of adjacent stringer members a plurality ofparallel passageways through the short dimension of the module, thestringer members which are located at the ends of the module beingrecessed with respect to the face sheets in the longitudinal direction.

7. A wall module as in claim 6 wherein the stringer members along onelongitudinal edge of the module are recessed with respect to the facesheets in the transverse direction and wherein the stringer membersalong the other longitudinal edge of the module project beyond the facesheets in a transverse direction.

8. A wall module as in claim 6 wherein the stringer members along bothlongitudinal edges of the module are recessed with respect to the facesheets in a trans-

1. An elongated wall module for use in constructing a wall of a buildingcomprising two longitudinal half-modules each forming a longitudinalhalf of the wall module; each half-module having a first face engageablewith a corresponding first face of the other half module; eachhalf-module being constructed of molded plastic material and having aplurality of spaced apart channels in its respective first faceextending transversely to the longitudinal dimension of the module froma second face to a third face, the channels in one of the half-modulescooperating with the channels in the other half-module to form parallelpassages for receiving structural members of a wall frame; the secondface of each half-module having a longitudinally extending ribprojecting therefrom and the third face of each half-module having alongitudinally extending groove therein.
 2. A wall module as in claim 1wherein said first faces of said half-modules are contoured to provideprojections and recesses which interlock when said half-modules aredisposed in adjacent coextensive relationship.
 3. A wall module as inclaim 1 wherein the channels in said one face of each half-module extendtransversely through the respective rib which projects from said secondface.
 4. A wall module as in claim 3 wherein each half-module has twoend faces each provided with a groove extending parallel to the channelsin said first face, the end face grooves in one of the half-modulescooperating with the end face grooves in the other half-module to formend face channels.
 5. A wall module as in claim 4 wherein said firstfaces of said half-modules are contoured to provide projections andrecesses which interlock when said half-modules are disposed in adjacentcoextensive relationship.
 6. An elongated rectangular wall module foruse in constructing a wall of a building, said module comprising twospaced apart coextensive parallel face sheets; stringer members disposedbetween and secured to said face sheets, said stringer members beingdisposed in spaced apart end-to-end relationship along each longitudinaledge of the module so as to provide between the ends of adjacentstringer members a plurality of parallel passageways through the shortdimension of the module, the stringer members which are located at theends of the module being recessed with respect to the face sheets in thelongitudinal direction.
 7. A wall module as in claim 6 wherein thestringer members along one longitudinal edge of the module are recessedwith respect to the face sheets in the transverse direction and whereinthe stringer members along the other longitudinal edge of the moduleproject beyond the face sheets in a transverse direction.
 8. A wallmodule as in claim 6 wherein the stringer members along bothlongitudinal edges of the module are recessed with respect to the facesheets in a transverse direction.